Stronger dollar is still restraining U.S. factory sector activity
May 15, 2015 14:50 pm UTC| Commentary
The modest rebound in the Empire State manufacturing index to +3.1 in May, from -1.2, indicates that the stronger dollar is still restraining factory sector activity.Nevertheless, the drop back in the dollar over the past...
US industrial production dragged down by mining slump
May 15, 2015 14:45 pm UTC| Commentary
US industrial production in April was dragged down by a drop back in utilities output, as the earlier weather-related distortion was unwound, and a sharp decline in oil gas drilling. The 0.3% m/m fall in industrial...
Transportation sector leads Canadian manufacturing sales rebound in March
May 15, 2015 14:05 pm UTC| Commentary
Canadas March manufacturing sales rebounded from their Feb decline, rising 2.9% on the month. The gain was not broad based, with slightly less than half of industries reporting an increase in sales. The transportation...
Weaker euro still not boosting net exports
May 15, 2015 12:57 pm UTC| Commentary
Euro-zone trade surplus edged lower in March. And net trade seems likely to have had a negligible effect on GDP growth in Q1. The seasonally-adjusted trade surplus rose from 21.2bn in January to 22.0bn in February - the...
Germany's financial indicators point to softening sentiment
May 15, 2015 12:55 pm UTC| Commentary
A second consecutive decline in ZEW investor sentiment in May, which would add to fears that the German recovery is slowing. The ZEW headline Economic SentimentIndicator, which measures financial market investors...
China's monetary easing may not weaken the currency
May 15, 2015 12:53 pm UTC| Commentary
China has been increasing the pace of its monetary easing. On 10 May, the Peoples Bank of China (PBoC) cut both the benchmark lending and deposit policy rate by 25bps. This decision came just a few weeks after the PBoC had...
CAD to hold up better now but weaken later
May 15, 2015 12:51 pm UTC| Commentary
The Cnandian economy will need more policy easing than the 25bp "insurance" rate cut announced in January. Another rate cut is expected before year-end. As thoseconditions and that scenario play out this summer and beyond,...